Insulation

County approved permit plans are required on site for all inspections including reinspections.

The INSULATION materials are not to be installed until the roof covering is complete.

1. The R-value of installed insulation shall be per the approved plans and per code requirements. Current minimum code-required R-values are:
   1. For exterior walls R-15 cavity insulation or R-13 cavity insulation plus minimum R-1 continuous insulation or insulated siding
   2. R-19 for floors over crawl spaces and for garage ceilings which have conditioned areas above
   3. R-38 is required for ceilings with or without attic spaces. Uncompressed R-30 which extends over the top plate may be used if there is not sufficient space for R-38.
   4. R-30 may be used for ceilings without attic spaces, i.e. vaulted ceilings. This exception is limited to 500 sq.ft.
   5. R-10 continuous insulation is acceptable for basement walls, however R-13 is required if the insulation will be installed between the framing members.
   6. R-10, 2 ft. for slab perimeter insulation
   7. R-10 continuous insulation is acceptable for crawlspace walls, however R-13 is required if the insulation will be installed between the framing members (a design shall be submitted for non-vented or conditioned crawlspaces) and attic assemblies
2. Fenestration (Windows, doors and skylights) U-Factors shall meet the requirements of Table N1102.1.1 Please leave the manufacturer’s labels in place until the final inspection is approved.
3. Where tub and shower units adjoin exterior walls, the required insulation shall be installed prior to installing the unit(s). Note: If the insulation has a facing and is installed in a concealed space the vapor retarder shall have a flame spread index not to exceed 25 with an accompanying smoke developed index not to exceed 450.
4. If a vapor retarder is present it shall face the conditioned space in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Torn or missing vapor retarder shall be repaired or replaced. Any vapor retarder not meeting the flame spread index and smoke developed index in item # 4 shall be covered with sheetrock or other approved methods.
5. Seal around the door and window frames and insulate around fireplace and chimney. The building thermal envelope shall be sealed to prevent air leakage per N1102.4.1. (Materials used to seal around windows and doors need to be in accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications.)
6. Where insulation is to be installed between roof rafters with a finish ceiling attached to the bottom of the rafters, a 1″ air space must be maintained for proper airflow between the top of the insulation and the bottom of the roof sheathing. This may be achieved by the use of baffles which are to be of the proper width for the framing installed i.e. 16″ o.c. 24″ o.c. etc. Baffles installed at the top plate of exterior walls are also required to prevent blown in type insulation from restricting the air flow from soffit vents. If the depth of the rafters exceeds the thickness of the insulation by at least 1″, this requirement can be met by face stapling the insulation to the underside of the rafters. Otherwise, the rafters must be furred down far enough to create the required 1″ minimum airspace.
7. Fireblocking shall be in place at soffits, around penetrations through plates for electrical cables and plumbing pipes, and through blocking, etc. Fiberglas insulation may be used to firestop cable and pipe penetrations through plates, as well as for tub traps.
8. Blown-in insulation in attic areas and batt insulation installed in crawlspace areas will be checked on the final inspection. Attics that are floored to a width exceeding 8′ or areas that will not be accessible require the insulation to be installed at the time of the insulation inspection to verify compliance.
9. Spray foam shall be installed per manufactures specifications an Evaluation Report from an accredited evaluation agency is to be provided. Evaluation Reports and locations spray foam is to be installed shall be submitted to plan review at time of application. A copy of the Evaluation Report shall be on site with approved plans.